I chronoed some different ammo from my 2 inch Rossi 357 and I think I may have found the best round for small 38 specials/357 mags.
I had bought some cheap Spanish made Santa Barbara ammo at a gun show and it has tested out really well.
It is a 158 grain Semi jacketed soft point. The average velocity I got was 876 fps.
Federal classic 125 grain SJHP 357 mag was 1145 fps and had a fairly stout recoil.
Remington 158 grain lead round nose was only 661 fps and had very low recoil.
Seller and Bellow 158 grain lead round nose was 751 fps.
The Santa Barbara ammo had both good mass at 158 grains and good velocity at 876 fps. It is jacketed so you dont have a leading problem. It is not a hollow point but a blunt semiwadcutter so it should give adequate penetration and good tissue upset and bone shatter.
It has an advantage over 357 mag ammo in that the recoil is still within a good level of controlability during rapid fire from a small revolver.
The negative is that it is hard to come by. But the positive is that it is cheap so if you stock up on it you can afford to pratice with it.
I need to get a hold of some 158 grain +P lead hollow point ammo and test it but have been unable to find any locally. Does anyone have chrono data on 158 +p hollow points from a 2 inch barrel?
I had bought some cheap Spanish made Santa Barbara ammo at a gun show and it has tested out really well.
It is a 158 grain Semi jacketed soft point. The average velocity I got was 876 fps.
Federal classic 125 grain SJHP 357 mag was 1145 fps and had a fairly stout recoil.
Remington 158 grain lead round nose was only 661 fps and had very low recoil.
Seller and Bellow 158 grain lead round nose was 751 fps.
The Santa Barbara ammo had both good mass at 158 grains and good velocity at 876 fps. It is jacketed so you dont have a leading problem. It is not a hollow point but a blunt semiwadcutter so it should give adequate penetration and good tissue upset and bone shatter.
It has an advantage over 357 mag ammo in that the recoil is still within a good level of controlability during rapid fire from a small revolver.
The negative is that it is hard to come by. But the positive is that it is cheap so if you stock up on it you can afford to pratice with it.
I need to get a hold of some 158 grain +P lead hollow point ammo and test it but have been unable to find any locally. Does anyone have chrono data on 158 +p hollow points from a 2 inch barrel?
